Neil Gaiman and the Nature of Free

Neil Gaiman's Sandman Series is the perfect introduction to anyone who thinks that "Graphic Novel" is a euphemism for "children's comic". Seventy-five issues, compiled into ten books, issued over seven years- it is the only comic to ever win the World Fantasy Award and the only comic book to be on the New York Times Bestseller List. Still Skeptical? The main characters are anthropomorphic manifestations of states of consciousness- Dream, Delirium, Despair, Desire, Destiny, Destruction and Death. Bam..

He has forged a plethora of work: comics, "real" books and film- becoming one of the UK's top contemporary authors. See Mirrormask, part The Labyrinth, part The Never Ending Story, it's the most wonderful children's film I've seen in a good decade and graphically dark and absolutely gorgeous.

Whenever I move continent/nation-state/side of the canal all but two of my books get thrown into giant bags and pragmatically smashed around. The first exception is the collected work of the late Australian painter, Brett Whiteley, a master of the surreal and hyperreal. The second is a copy of Gaiman's Endless Nights- written as a post-script to the Sandman series, although it can easily be read as a standalone piece. It is comprised of seven stories, each in a unique style and with a different artist, each expressing the essence of one character/mode of consciousness. The Fifteen Portraits of Despair are the most beautifully, gut-renchingly despondent piece I've ever read- definitely not for those with depression issues, unless they want to plumb the very base of there emotion. A tender taste.

She decides to make a list of the things that make her happy.
She writes 'plum-blossom' at the top of a piece of paper.
Then she stares at the paper, unable to think of anything else.

Eventually it begins to get dark.

I suggest you read Endless Nights first, however, for the hasty he has made the first book in the Sandman series available free here, to begin your fragile addiction. On his blog, he has a nice rant on the nature of free books, and offers a great deal more free audio, essays and short stories.